


Of Old Souls

by sylphiawings



Series: The Life and Times of Aera Sylvarant [7]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Post-Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylphiawings/pseuds/sylphiawings
Summary: Inside Aera's 'headspace', Fray wonders about Azem's nature.
Series: The Life and Times of Aera Sylvarant [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906948
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10
Collections: #FFxivWrite2020 Final Fantasy 30 Day Writing Challenge





	Of Old Souls

**Author's Note:**

> **HEAVY SPOILERS FOR PATCH 5.3 SHB.** You have been sufficiently warned!
> 
> I had this fantastic story idea from the drawings of the wonderful [Yil](https://twitter.com/NHAAMAMIA/status/1178427129769287680) [on](https://twitter.com/NHAAMAMIA/status/1177358064812347392) [Twitter.](https://twitter.com/yildraws) Please give her a follow, she's hilarious and also extremely talented! (Obviously spoilers in the links, please proceed at your own risk.)
> 
> This is a small drabble for the 30-day #FFxivWrite2020 challenge on Tumblr by [Moen Moen](https://sea-wolf-coast-to-coast.tumblr.com/)! This story is based on the seventh prompt, [Day 7: Nonagenarian.](https://sea-wolf-coast-to-coast.tumblr.com/post/628626833217388544/prompt-7-nonagenarian)

Azem sometimes found it... slightly _crowded_ when she found herself in Aera's 'headspace', for lack of better term.

At first, she had the company of one grumpy Dark Knight that sometimes she couldn't make heads or tails of. And then, following that, they were accompanied by a young boy with long, blue hair. And then, after that, one of her shards managed to enter the space as well, though she enjoyed Ardbert's company the most.

It was a party, sure, but sometimes Azem wondered how they could all be here and not drive her poor Source shard, Aera Sylvarant, crazy. Then again, she probably didn't know that they all were here in this 'headspace' of hers. Or maybe she did, just that she didn't know how to 'access' them.

"How did you come to be?" Fray had suddenly asked her one day, with his usual dour, gruff voice.

"Oh, little 'ol me?" Azem merrily replied as she crouched down to Fray's height. In this 'headspace', they retain their usual appearances from when they were alive, so naturally, as an Ancient Amaurotine, Azem's usual appearance is about four or five times the height of her companions. Fray's eyes twitched at her joke.

"You're a mystery," Fray simply said.

"Wise words from _you_ , of all people," Azem shot back.

He crossed his hands and waited.

Azem put her hand on her chin. "Well, I have a theory, but it's just conjecture at best," she admitted. "You know that Aera and Ardbert were once part of me, right?"

"Yes," Fray said, glancing ever so slightly to their right, where Ardbert and Myste were busy chatting about idle things. From this 'headspace', they could see everything Aera was doing, and right now, she was busy discussing the Crystal Tower with G'raha Tia and Krile, a lighthearted discussion between friends.

"Well, now, because of the multiple Rejoinings by my various... colleagues," she hesitated slightly at the description, but continued, "Aera and Ardbert's souls - _my_ soul - is now 9/14ths complete. So eventually I had a conscience in this 'headspace' because I am technically almost whole."

Fray grunted. "If Ardbert is a part of your soul," he said, "then why does he have a will in this 'headspace'?"

Azem tilted her head and gave a pout. "Well, that's probably because he's special. He wasn't here because of a Rejoining. He's here of his own free... _will_ ," she smirked and gave him a face, as if saying, 'gotcha'.

Fray, decidedly not amused, simply rolled his eyes and started to turn away. "You're impossible."

"Wait, wait, okay, sorry," Azem conceded, using her larger stature to forcibly turn Fray towards her like a doll. This pointedly made him angrier, as he reached his hand towards his broadsword strapped on his back, threatening her. She raised her hands in defeat, realizing her faux-pas. "Sorry. I'll be serious. It's been a while since I've had insightful discussions. Forgive me."

"If you must," Fray barely said through gritted teeth. "I swear, you're just like Aera. Just as infuriating, as naive--"

Azem smiled. "She _is_ me," she said. "In a way. Give or take twelve thousand years."

Fray stared, and she could see the hesitation in his expression, even beyond that veil he wore. He slowly lowered his hand from his weapon.

"How old are you?" Fray asked after a while.

Azem stared at him in mock horror. "Do you normally ask a lady for their age? Such a gentleman you are," she stared at him, aghast.

"Azem," Fray warned.

"Right, sorry," she chuckled. She couldn't help but tease Fray - he was always so _serious_ compared to her other companions in this 'headspace', so it was an entertainment value for her to see him ruffled. Though she felt bad, as over the weeks, Ardbert had taken to teasing him as well because of her influence; she feared that if they continued, the grumpy Dark Knight would sooner slice their souls that be with them a moment longer. Thankfully, they had Myste to reign him in, sometimes.

"We Ancients lived long lives," Azem recalled. "I don't even remember how old I was when... when our world was Sundered." Her eyes glazed over as if she was in another time, another world.

Fray took a deep breath. "If you could wager a guess?" he pressed.

Azem shook her head, pulling herself out of a long-forgotten memory, and smiled. "I was a nonagenarian when I became Azem," she offered. "I stayed in that post for a while. Maybe long enough for all three of your lifetimes combined, or more," she gestured towards him and the other two companions they had. "Mind you, that was normal in those days. Young Elidibus was the exception, but-- ah, well, you don't want to hear the ramblings of an old lady."

"No," Fray quickly said, but turned away, embarrassed at his display of eagerness, which was so rare from him. Azem suppressed a grin. "... Go on," he urged, his back to her.

"If you insist," Azem said, shifting down, making herself smaller so she could be about his size. Like this, she was almost the same height as Aera, which caught Fray off guard. Aside from the depth of wisdom behind her eyes, and the cloak of the Ancients she wore, Azem was almost the spitting image of her Source shard. It was unnerving and calming at the same time.

"I hope you have the time and patience," Azem gave him a toothy grin.

Fray grunted. "As if I have anything else to do here," he put his sword aside as the two sat down.


End file.
